A Little Turtle's First Trip to the Surface
by TurtleTracer
Summary: Who could possibly ruin a little turtles first trip to the surface? Humans that's who!
1. Chapter 1- Dress Up

**Hello Everyone!**

 **Get ready for some turtle tots!**

* * *

"Well technically April we all went to the surface at the same time," I reply dismissively with my back still facing the room and my nose in my computer screen.

April leans more of her body onto my third favorite desk. I wince as the desk scraps against the floor from the added weight

Why is everyone in my lab again?

"Wow you guys never like, snuck out?" April asks.

"Oh we snuck out of the lair all the time. We just never snuck above ground," Leo says from his spot on the floor.

One of my brothers, I'm not sure who, brought in a blanket so that the three of them could sit on the floor of my lab comfortably while everyone conversed.

Maybe I should get more chairs, that blanket can't be comfortable.

"Uh yeah, that would have been a whole new kind of punishment," Mikey says from Leo's left probably still curled in that little ball I saw him in last.

That blanket is probably bothering them. I turn my swivel chair half way around to see the questionable piece of fabric. It was an extremely thick, unnecessarily fluffy, sky blue blanket with care bears caricatures littering the front.

Mikey brought the blanket.

"So I guess that means I was the first one out of the sewers," Leo says absentmindedly rubbing his hand back and forth across the soft fabric underneath him

I turn back towards my computer screen. Don't correct him Donnie.

"How do you figure?" Raph asks in a challenging tone.

"Well, I was the first one out of the manhole, so that means I went up top first."

Screw accuracy, don't say anything.

Raph gave a loud out of place 'HA,' before declaring "That doesn't count."

"It makes since, I am the oldest," Leo replies, and from the thump that followed that statement, I can only guess that he has proudly connected his open hand to his plastron for emphasis.

Great now he's bragging.

"But," Mikey begins in a confused tone, "That doesn't make any sense. Being the oldest, doesn't mean you always go out of the manhole first."

Oh geez, I can practically hear the poor guy's brain wheezing from the effort of thought

I turn back towards my brothers and April. Clearly to distracted to actually work.

Leo looks smug.

Raph looks positively indignant.

Mikey looks befuddled.

None of these are good. Especially that first one, ok deep breath Don, let's fix this atmosphere.

"Ok if we're speaking technically, I was the first one out of the sewers," I say in my most even voice.

This was obviously not the comment they expected of me.

Sorry guys, not everything I say can be an interesting fact.

"Donnie what are you saying bro."

Oh man, maybe I shouldn't have said anything, "Ah, heh heh, you know what never mind," I say once again turning back to my computer.

"Dude you cannot not say anything now!" Mikey wails crawling over to grab at my thigh.

"Did you sneak above ground?" asks Leo stone-faced.

Ohhhh my, he doesn't appear too happy.

"No Leo really I was maybe four! I doubt I could even have found a way out."

"FOUR, Donnie you were four!"

"Ok calm down Leo, geez I'm sorry I brought this up. And trust me it hardly counts as a visit topside. I guess I should tell the story."

* * *

 ***Eleven Years ago***

 **-Turtles current age, four years old-**

"We are adventurers," stated a very young Leo in a no nonsense tone, "So we have to dress like adventurers."

At this declaration Leo dragged out a still slightly soggy box of dress up clothes that Splinter had found up top the other day.

Usually unwilling to risk the germs that could be residing on recently rained on clothes or toys Splinter normally wouldn't have brought these little gifts into his home. However upon inspection he found that the discarded play clothes were sealed inside plastic grocery store bags tied tightly at the top, allowing the contents to stay relatively dry.

It was a rare find and Splinter was more than grateful to have a new distraction for his boys. He himself had just found a new thrown out calligraphy set for beginners, and he was eager to begin writing.

So after showing the box to Leo and explaining its contents he quickly retreated into his room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him so he could still listen for trouble.

Leo dumped the contents of the soggy box onto the floor and tossed the cardboard away. The clothes, now out of their plastic prisons thanks to Splinter, lay on the floor in a giant lump of different colors.

Raph and Mikey both ooed in appreciation and jumped on the clothes digging through the pile.

Don walked over and picked up a small plastic fireman's hat. He turned to Leo questioningly, "but Leo what do adventurers wear?" he asked.

Leo pondered this for a moment as he looked at the pile of cloths, hoping to find a convenient cowboy hat or something else adventurey just lying there so he could give his brother an example.

"Adventururers wear crazy stuff, just find crazy stuff," Raph answered instead as he examined a bright and sparkly red dress.

Never being around anything but other boys, the turtles had a very poor concept on the difference between what little boys and little girls should be playing with.

Barbie can be a super hero just as easily as a dinosaur in the turtle's playroom.

"Raph you can't pick red, you already have red on. Pick a different color," demanded Leo deliberately ignoring Don's hard question for an easier Raph dilemma.

Raph narrowed his eyes at Leo and in an act of defiance tried to force the red dress over his head.

"NO RAPH!" Leo shouted walking over and snatching the dress from Raph.

Not that it would have mattered anyways. Raph's little head was just too big to get the even smaller dress on.

Raph jumped to his feet and spread his arms getting ready to fight his brother, when disaster was narrowly avoided as Mikey threw a heavy brown cloak on top of Raph's head.

The cloak was clearly meant for a teenager and not a child.

"Raph I trap you!" Mikey laughed in glee as Raph flailed around to remove the heavy material off of himself.

Once free Raph tackled Mikey feeling his childlike anger dissipate as their wrestling only increased Mikey's laughter.

Mikey could be a very resilient child.

Donnie, ignoring the whole scene, glanced down at the fireman's hat in his hands then placed the hat on his head, "So we have to wear each other's colors?" Don questioned Leo liking the idea of getting to wear Raph's color.

"Yes we need to wear one of our colors, but not yours," said Leo. Although this wasn't exactly what Leo had in mind at first, he decided that it was a good rule to add to the game.

Smiling at this new game of color coordination Donnie started digging through the clothes. Almost immediately he found a faded orange Native American shirt and passed the shirt to Leo. "Look Leo it's orange you can be Mikey!" Don shouted in joy.

Hearing his name Mikey looked away from his red clothed brother pinning him to the floor and watched the exchange between Leo and Don.

Mikey and Raph had heard Leo's explain the rules of the game, but in tell now it hadn't registered in their little minds. Now Mikey was very aware that he was being left out of something. And that was just not ok.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT RAPH! Leo's being me!" Mikey shouted trying to explain to his brother why he should let him up and allow him to join the game.

Raph looked over to Leo watching him begin to struggle into the Native American garment. Head completely covered inside the shirt.

"No," Raph said bluntly. Removing himself from Mikey and marching over to an oblivious Leo. Raph snatched the shirt yanking it off of Leo with a harsh tug, partially bending his brother at the waist as he forced the clothing off Leo's head.

Leo blinked in confusion as Raph explained. "I'm mad at Leo right now. So I'm Mikey! Mikey you have to be Leo. I don't want to be him. Because I'm mad at him."

Leo glared at his brother who had the audacity to take away what he had first. "That's not nice Raph. You have to share."

Raph gave a humph and crossed his arms over his chest hugging the orangish shirt to his shell, "No I want to be Mikey!"

"No I was Mikey first!" Leo shouted back moving towards his unreasonable sibling,

Suddenly little Mikey launched himself between the two of them waving something soft, blue and incredibly shiny.

"LOOK LOOK, I FOUND LEO!" Mikey screeched showing off a comfortable looking light blue power ranger outfit.

His anger suddenly completely forgotten, Leo instead felt a flush of pride build in him as Mikey began laughing and tripping all over the place while he wiggled into the power ranger costume. Leo then felt someone softly grip his arm behind him. Little Leo turned around and saw a shy looking Donatello holding a dark purple wizard's hat covered in small white stars. Donnie held out the hat slowly as if expecting Leo to push the hat away any minute. "H-here Leo you can be me."

Leo smiled to himself, taking note that all three of his brothers were following the rules to his game. Something they didn't always do. He gladly took the offered hat placing it onto his head. "Ok so I am Donnie, Mikey is me, Donnie is Raph, and Raph is uh, Mikey." Leo said making sure everyone understood their role.

The others nodded, Mikey voicing his agreement from the floor were his struggles to get into his costume had left him. The four boys began looking through the clothing pile in renewed earnest.

By the time they were done little Donnie was dressed in a fireman's hat with a devil's dress on that reached passed his ankles slightly touching the lair's floor. The dresses red colored fabric was so bright and vivid, and in such terrible contrast with Don's green skin, that the small turtle looked like a fiery beacon. Complete with fake tears lining the bottom and sleeves of the garment, adding to the illusion of a crackling fire.

Little Mikey was wearing nothing but the blue power ranger suit. Apparently that was enough for him for he hadn't stopped running around since he got it on. It took all of Leo's power of persuasion to keep him from going to Master Splinter to show him their outfits before everyone was ready.

Little Raph had the most on. Leo had found the perfect charmander outfit. Which the brothers had all agreed was a dragon. Raph, who loved stories about dragons, had gladly accepted the outfit, loving the way the flaming tail flailed around behind him. Raph then put the Native American shirt back on. (Not wanting to leave anything out of his outfit.) And finally he completed his outfit with a brown 'adventurer's hat,' (also known as an Indiana Jones hat.) Leo tried to explain to Raph that that was brown not orange. But the fit that Raph was about to throw if Leo interfered was just daunting enough for the tiny leader to allow it.

Little Leo, still in his wizard hat, had added a set of small purple bat wings, a much too large purple tie, and a fluffy light purple tutu. Leo was the most mismatched of all his brothers. But the four of them found that purple was the hardest color to come by in their pile. So Leo had to make do with what they had.

"Ok we are ready let's go get Splinter," Leo said happily leading the way to the dojo.

At first the boys half ran to their father's domain. But as they got closer the tiny turtles began to quietly tip toe towards the dojo's sliding door.

With Leo still in the lead the four of them lined up against the wall to the left of the dojo's entrance. If their daddy was meditating, then the boys knew that they couldn't just go bother him unless something was wrong. But if Splinter was doing something else it was free reign to collect his attention.

Leo peeked his head into the dojo holding his starry wizard hat with one hand so it wouldn't fall off his head as he looked. He spotted his father immediately, not meditating, he was just writing something.

Leo didn't wait another moment. The small turtle boy ran into the room screaming, "SPLINTER, SPLINTER!"

The other three followed right behind Leo shouting.

"DADDY!"  
"SPLINTER!"

"YOU HAVE TO LOOK, SPLINTER, YOU HAVE TO LOOK!"

Splinter stopped and smiled to himself as he heard his son's little feet race up behind him. So many times one or the more of them will come racing in here to tell him about a fight or a 'booboo.' It was rare and rather nice that this time they must want him for something happy. That is if the cheer in their voices was any indication.

Leo catapulted himself onto Splinter causes the rat man to lean forward slightly with an umph. Luckily he'd managed to quickly pack away his calligraphy supplies before Leo made it to him, so nothing was ruined.

Splinter spun around with a purposeful sharp turn so he could catch his slower three sons. Leo, still holding onto Splinter's back, laughed loudly as Splinter's swift movements spun him about as well. The small boy laughed with his whole being, without holding back, in that way that only children can.

Splinter caught Raph and Donnie in one arm each allowing Mikey to simply grab onto the front of his robe and pull himself into his father's lap. By this time Splinter had a pretty good idea on what his sons insisted that he 'have to look at.'

"Look Daddy, we switched colors, we switched, and I am Leo!" Mikey explained still pulling at Splinter's robes.

"I'm Raph, see this hat is red."

"OH, OH, and I'm Donnie!"

"…."

Splinter looked down at Raph who hadn't said anything, although he was clearly wearing orange, and looked rather adorable with that fiery tail. Raph just snuggled closer into Splinters arm, clutching at his sleeve and enjoying Splinter's company.

Splinter smiled and bounced the arm with Raph in it up and down, gently getting the young turtles attention. "Ohhhh and who are you now Rapheal?" Splinter asked.

"He's Mikey," answered Don helpfully.

"I see, are you Mikey, Rapheal?" Splinter pressed still trying to keep Raph involved.

"Yeah I'm Mikey. Leo wanted to be Mikey, but I says no. Because I'm Mikey," Raph said, not really minding that he had to talk. Just feeling no need for it before now.

His sons continued to climb on top of him and explain what they were wearing. This went on for a few more minutes before Splinter realized that this energy of theirs wasn't going to dissipate anytime soon. He had to find some way to rid his sons of this built up stamina or they were going to wear him down fast.

Then Splinter got an idea.

A horrible idea.

Splinter got a horribly awful idea.

He'll take his sons out on a little walk.

Ok so the idea wasn't that bad. A walk in the sewers has never hurt before. And the added excitement of the boy's new outfits should help keep them entertained as they walk.

"Hey boys, boys. BOYS!" Splinter shouted. The turtles stopped in their tracks. Just in time to, Raph was sitting on Donnie who was starting to bend into an awkward position on Splinter's lap. While Leo and Mikey seemed to have just made it halfway up the rat's body in a personal race to the top of Splinter's head.

"Boys," Splinter began camley, "Why don't we go for a walk, with your new super hero costumes? we could explore the sewers."

Splinter couldn't see Mikey or Leo, but he watched as Rapheal and Donatello's eyes grew wide, smiles growing on their faces in glee.

"Yes!" shouted Leo.

"Yes yes!"

"Well these are not super hero costumes. Leo said we were adventurers. But yes!"

"I want to go too!"

Well that settled it. With four consecutive yeses Splinter slid all the boys off of him and gathered them together herding them towards the dojo's exit.

This was either going to be a very fun, or a very long walk.

But with four year olds those are usually the only two options anyways.


	2. Chapter 2- Painted Trees

**As a child I knew this girl named Mary.**

 **She was not a very nice girl, this Mary.**

 **One night a monster walked out of my closet.**

 **The monster began to take off it's skin.**

 **And there stood Mary, wearing the monsters hide.**

 **Our childhood monsters are just humans in disguise.**

* * *

"If I carry you the whole way Donatello this won't be much of a walk," Splinter snickered to Donnie who was sitting comfortably in his arms.

Don didn't even look up, the boy just examined the sewer floor rubbing the bottom of his devil's outfit in contemplation. "My robe will get dirty if I walk. Which is not good? Yucky stuff in the sewers. I need to keep cloths clean."

Splinter nodded suspecting an answer like this. Donatello had a strange need for cleanliness. Which, seeing as how easily the skinny child became sick, Splinter did not exactly discourage. But there were times when he had to tone down little Donnie's health worries, and have him see reason.

Luckily this son was easily persuaded as long as you managed to convince him that what you were saying was more logical than what he was. So far this has worked out well for Splinter, for even if he didn't completely think that what he said was always the 'logical,' choice, it appeared that Donnie was still young enough were just the words coming out of Splinter's mouth made them dripping with logic.

Unfortunately his other sons had no problem thinking he could be wrong.

Splinter was just about to suggest to Donnie that they tie his 'robe,' up around his knees when he sensed one of his sons make a wrong turn behind him.

He quickly snatched Rapheal with his tail, wrapping it around the small turtle's tummy. The turtle didn't even whine in protest at being tail handled back to his father's side.

At this point Splinter had taken his family out far enough were the tunnels of the sewer system was beginning to become narrower than the much wider tunnels near the lair. The sewer walls in this area were damper and the air chillier. But that wasn't the only reason this part of their underground domain made Splinter a nervous fatherly wreck. There were small run off tunnels just large enough for per say a little turtle child to crawl through. And the ground of this area was littered with trash and broken glass. The glass was common enough that Splinter made all of his sons wear thick fluffy socks to act as shoes.

Getting his sons to wear the socks this time had turned into a battle, for Splinter only had the socks in Pink and Blue. Apparently for everyone other than Michelangelo, who was already supposed to wear blue, wearing these colors was a grave offense to their outfits. But Splinter finally managed to get them all to agree after several very serious sounding threats about forcing them to remove their clothing.

So with a lot of pouting, Splinter put the two blue pairs on Michelangelo and Rapheal. And the two pink pairs on Donatello and Leonardo.

Usually this would be reversed.

Although Splinter felt better with his children properly clothed. He still couldn't shake this ominous feeling he had for these tunnels.

However as dangerous as Splinter believed this area was this grimy part of the sewers was part of their home. And sadly Splinter new from experience that this wasn't even close to the worst section of it.

It was just outside the boundaries that Splinter planned on setting for his boys once they turned ten. And he wanted his boys to know the area as much as they could before then.

But for now Splinter decided that safety was best. So he wrapped Donnie closer to his chest, hugging the boy tightly in his sudden newfound uneasiness. He removed his tail from Rapheal's shell only to wrap it securely around the strangely compliant turtle's arm.

Splinter glanced around him taking note of Leo jogging ahead of him in gleeful exploration, and Michelangelo picking up random pieces of chipped concrete as he walked beside him.

"Leo this is a dangerous part of the sewers my son we must be careful," Splinter said calmly to his presumable eldest son.

Leo stopped midstep and turned to Splinter, "I am always always careful Splinter. Always always," The little turtle said.

Splinter smiled warmly, "Yes my son, but why don't you come closer to your Daddy for this walk."

Leo frowned a little at this but walked obediently back to his father's side.

The little family walked like this for a little longer. The four year olds excited chatter becoming a little too loud at times for Splinter's liking, but it was a late quiet night, so he let it slide. Eventually the mutant family made it to Splinters original destination.

A destination that Splinter had been wanting to take his sons to for a long while now.

For painted beautifully to the curved darkened wall of the sewer tunnel was a sprayed graffiti picture of a peaceful looking woman surrounded by green trees.

The woman in the painting was dark of skin with her dark hair held back by a blue headband. Her eyes were closed and her chin lifted as if she was in total peace with who she was. The trees and grassy hills that surrounded her was a bright green that practically light the tunnel in a warm glow. The mixtures of different greens in the trees swirled around each other, creating a whirlpool effect as one's eyes tried to latch onto any one shade of green.

The whole piece was breathtaking, and allowed Splinter to participate in one of his favorite pass times that he used to frequently par take in back in Japan. Back when he was part of the sunny world above. It allowed him to appreciate art.

But to Splinter this painting in particular was more than that. It provided a beautiful persona of trees. Something Splinter dreamed his sons would be able to appreciate someday.

"Look my sons," said Splinter "this is art. See those are trees. And the green on the trees are leaves."

"It's pretty!" Mikey shouted touching the picture.

It may have been dark in the sewers, but the entire mutant family had natural semi night vision. And besides, even a human would be able to see that bright gorgeous green in the dark.

"Trees?" repeated Leo thoughtfully joining Mikey in running his small hands across the colored wall.

"Yes these are trees. They grow in the soil in the ground." Splinter explained slowly enjoying the innocently sad moment of two of his tiny sons touching a picture of something that they should have touched long ago in the world above.

"I know what trees are," frowned Donnie pushing his lower lip out in a pout.

Of course he knew what trees were, he read all about them. Father was talking to him like he was a baby.

Splinter bounced Donnie on his hip attempting to rid the frown from his face. "Yes my Donatello, but these are painted trees. This is art and should be admired."

"Like the art I make on the fridge," Mikey said turning his head away from the graffiti to smile up at Splinter.

Splinter chuckled warmly, "Yes my son, like the pictures on the fridge." Splinter turned away from Mikey to the only silent son standing stock still beside him. "And what about you Rapheal, do you like the picture?"

Rapheal studied the picture some more thinking about his answer. "Yeah is good," Raph finally said. His tone was one of indifference and spoke of boredom, but Splinter appreciated the child not entirely blowing his father's question off. Which wouldn't have been a surprising reaction from Rapheal if he was grumpy.

Mikey and Donnie were still studying the colors intently, but Leo was beginning to wonder off. And Splinter had a sneaky suspicion that Donatello was counting the trees, more than admiring the artwork.

But Mikey was running his hands over the different shades of colors as if he had the greatest of treasures at his fingertips. His little hands weren't gentle as he studied the painted over concrete with his touch. He moved as if he could actually touch the colors themselves.

What a little artist.

But they couldn't stay much longer, Splinter knew his other sons were getting restless, better to move on before boredom causes trouble.

"Come my sons, let us head home," Said Splinter turning to leave.

But it was too little too late. The boredom had set in. And as foretold by such a wise rat trouble was displayed as they began their walk back.

"Leo you can fly!" Mikey declared loudly earning himself a shushhhhhhhhing from Splinter.

Leo looked puzzled, "No I can't Mikey turtles don't fly."

"No Leo you's has purple wings. You're a bat turtle. A vampire turtle," explained Mikey.

Splinter flinched at the word vampire. Maybe telling his sons that story about the friendly vampire all those months ago was not such a good idea.

Raph laughed loudly, "You suck Leo. You should suck Mikey's blood."

Mikey light blue eyes widened in childish horror. "No not my blood! Raph suck Raph's."

"No Mikey's."

"No Raph's."

"No Mikey!"

Leo snarled playfully at his two brothers baring his teeth. He was thinking frantically about which brother he should go for.

The choice was made clear.

"I need Mikey's blood," Leo said deepening his voice and making it come out scratchy and strange. The way Splinter talks when he's pretending to be a monster during story time.

Mikey backed away from Leo covering his face with his hands, "NOOOOOOO!" the tiny turtle screamed with a smile on his face.

Splinter stiffened and turned to once again quiet his son. But he was too late. Leo had tackled Mikey trying to at least get his teeth to touch his brother's neck. Rapheal, not wanting to be left out, immediately joined Leo in trying to pin Mikey to the sewer floor so Leo could bit him.

Ears flattening to his skull at the unacceptable amount of noise his boys were making. And with horrible images of stray glass sticking out of his son's skin as they rolled across the ground Splinter quickly deposited Donnie onto the floor and raced over to his three wrestling sons whispering harsh Japanese words of anger as he threatened them to settle down.

Don stood stock still for a moment unsure if he should be moving around on such dirty ground with his red robe. But his thoughts began to wonder as his father kept on talking and talking and talking to his brothers about what they did bad.

Donnie was about to whine his bored frustration to his father, when something shiny caught his eye.

What could it be?

A toy?

A watch?

A diamond?

Donatello's eyes grew wide at this last thought. He just knew it was a diamond! Maybe a diamond ring. Ladies had diamond rings. And then he was going to be rich!

Don walked over to the shine. He swiped the object from the dirty floor without hesitation. And upon inspection it turned out to be a smooth polished silver loop earing.

Don studied the piece of jewelry intensely, rubbing his thumb against the metal. Then his eyes glazed ahead and he saw another identical shine. It was the other earing. It lay alone next to one of those small run off tunnels that Splinter always told Donnie never to go in. This particular tunnel looked even smaller than the others, and seemed darker than the others too.

But that earing.

…What if it was real silver? Then Donnie knew that someday, when he was allowed to use the big boy chemistry set that Splinter said he was making for him. He could use nitric acid to dissolve the silver, and that would be fun. He really really REALLY! Wanted to see that.

With thoughts of unrealistic bubbling metal in his little mind Don raced over to the other earing.

As he ran his foot caught on the bottom of his cut up red robe. The poor turtle fell forwards, sliding uncontrollably along the dirtied damp sewer floor. Little Donnie was so surprised he didn't make a single sound as he slide, plastron down, across the ground and into the tiny dark tunnel.

But the tunnel didn't continue forward like all the other small tunnels. This one slanted downwards increasing Donnie's speed as he slide helplessly on.

Now little Don did yell.

"SPLIN'ER! AHHHHHHHhhhhhh…!"

Splinter jerked his head towards his mispronounced name. Leo, Raph, and Mikey who were all lined up in front of their father. All jumped at Dons cry.

"Donnie?" whimpered Mikey.

With one last warning to the others to stay put Splinter turned and sprinted towards the scream. He skidded to a stop, clawed feet scratching against the sidewalk under him.

But there was no little turtle. Instead all Splinter saw was a beautiful silver earing, a small plastic fireman's hat, and a narrow dark foreboding tunnel that Splinter wouldn't be able to fit through even if he wanted to.

* * *

The slide down the tunnel didn't seem to last long. Almost as soon as Don started down the dark slope he stopped. Arms curled up in front of him Don just laid there on this strange new sewer floor for a moment and rested his head in the crook of his left arm.

He stayed like that, keeping his body completely still, waiting to see if his previous shouting would bring his father.

Don't move Donnie.

Don't move.

Don't move.

Don't move.

"Donatello!"

Donnie's head snapped up. His daddy, that was his daddy!

"Donatello my son!"

The voice was coming from the tunnel behind him. It sounded muffled and fuzzy. Even though Donnie knew his father was yelling as loud as he could. On hands and knees Donnie turned himself around towards the tunnel and yelled back.

"DAAAAAADDDDDDYYYYY!"

There was a pause, little Don started to wonder if he had yelled loud enough. But he didn't think he could yell any louder.

"Donatelllo!" the voice in the tunnel finally said. "Daddy's coming to get you, I need you to stay right there and I will come get you in just a moment! Do not move, do you understand me?! Do not move my son!"

Donnie's eyes widened, he felt tears start to form in his eyes.

'in a moment?' Why wasn't his father coming down to get him now!? His daddy was leaving him!

"NOOOOO DON'T LEAVE DADDY! I WANNA GO HOME!" Donnie shouted in dismay hitching his breaths as he tried to keep his crying from turning into full blown sobs.

"Donatello stop! Listen to daddy! I know you can understand this! I can't fit through this hole. I must go around. You stay right where you are and I will find you! Do you understand me!?"

Don slowed his tears thinking through what his father had just said. Splinter was right he would not be able to fit through that hole. Donnie felt himself flush with anger towards himself for not realizing this sooner. Of course daddy couldn't fit through that hole. What was he thinking!?

And when you're lost you should stay still. He was going to be fine.

Everything's ok.

"I understand," Donnie said softly into the hole. Then realizing that his father probably couldn't hear him unless he spoke louder he said again.

"I UNDERSTAND!"

"Good I will find you soon!" his father acknowledged. And then Donnie knew that he was gone.

But he'll be back. His daddy loves him, so he'll be back soon.

….

…

….

….

Soon turned out to take forever.

Don waited patiently at first. But his limited four year old attention span didn't allow this to last long. For a child Donatello was almost unnaturally good at staying still, and was able to stay silent for much longer than any of his brothers. But at this age that still didn't amount to much.

In his boredom Don started making shapes with the dirt on the floor. He made a circle, a triangle, a square, a polygon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, and so on. Inside these basic shapes he worked out impressively complicated multiplication problems. He made sure to make these math problems so that the answers would be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 in that order.

With this done he decorated the shapes with the appropriate limbs and appendages to resemble the animal in the zodiac that the math answer said it should be based on that animals order in the zodiac.

He wasn't the artist that Mikey was, but he could hold his own if he put his mind to it.

When he finished this Donnie started to get up and walk around to admire his work. He never walked far from the little tunnel he had fallen through, just enough to explore the area a bit.

He was about to make his third round about the area when he heard a voice.

"Dude-not a good idea- not cool."

The sentence was whispered and Donnie couldn't catch all of it. But that changed quickly as another voice joined the conversation and the two sounds got closer.

"You have a better idea Johnny-boy? I don't care how many teenagers could me gettin' busy down here. And if you had any goddamn idea who our boss was you wouldn't care either."

This voice was deeper, rougher than the first voice. And to Don it sounded funny. He hasn't heard many humans talk in his short sheltered life. But he has never heard a human who talks like that.

Human, those two voices are human, not family.

Donnie ran over his previous art project and crawled back into the small sewer tunnel that had gotten him into this mess. It was hard to crawl back up that slope, especially with his fuzzy pink socks still on, but he didn't have to climb for long. Once Don guessed that he was out of sight he stretched his little limbs out as far as they could go in tell both his arms and his legs touched the sides of the tunnel's walls. He held himself in place easily, his childlike light weight working in his favor to help his limbs keep him from sliding back down.

The voices kept talking, getting louder and louder.

"You keep saying that but you never tell me who our boss is! You can't blame me for not being a chickenshit like you when you don't even tell me why I should be afraid," said the quieter voice. He sounded nicer to Don than the second voice.

"Fine, you got me there. Just trust me huh? You've always trusted me. This guy is dangerous. Hell everyone in that little group of his is dangerous. I regret eva' meetin' them. But it's too late now, no use cryin' about it. Now if we don't find that reptile he will kill us. You getting me? You hearing me right Johnny-boy? He'll kill us both."

Donnie took a deep breath and tried to hold it. The voices were almost right next to him now. But that wasn't the worst part. 'Reptiles.' REPTILES!? He was a reptile, he knows this because turtles are reptiles. He read all about turtles, and Splinter told him so.

Splinter was right people won't be nice to him. They are looking for him!

The footsteps of the voices stop almost right outside Don's hiding place. From this angle the hidden turtle child can't even see the voice's feet. But Don had a feeling that he only had to slide down a little further and he'd be able to get a good look at their toes.

Donnie pushed harder against the tunnels walls with this thought. Hoping that his slippery socks didn't betray him and really make his slide down.

"R-really, he'll kill us. Dude, you didn't say anything about him killing us!" the first voice said, a tremble to his words.

Second voice let out a strange short bark of laughter before saying "You know I told you not to get involved. But now ya' are, and that's the hard truth."

"Ok, ok just give me a second."

Don listened as a pair of feet paced around outside his hiding place before the conversation continued.

"Ok, then we got no time to lose. I am not dying because of this! What does the thing look like, how big is it? You told me earlier that it is supposed to be small. Well how small is small man!?" The first voice sounded scared. But Don didn't know why. Why should he be scared, Donnie's the one who would get hurt. Whoever his 'boss' is must want to hurt him, poor guy.

"It's abou' this long," there was a pause and then the second voice continued, "I was told that there should be nothin' fer us to worry about. Just stay away from its teeth. I've wrestled real gaters before and they are twice this itty bitty things size. But I was told that it's intelligent. So we might get bit."

"Don't say that as if it's nothing man! I don't want to get bit by a gator!"

A gator? Donnie was confused. What's a gator? He wasn't a gator, he was a turtle. So what is a gator, some sort of reptile like him for sure but….

OH an alligator! That's a reptile. The voices are looking for an alligator, not him. Now that Donnie knew he wasn't what they wanted he allowed himself small breaths of air. Daddy would be here soon. He just had to hang on till then.

Daddy will be here soon.

"I'm not listenen' to your bitchin' the whole damn day. If ya that scared I'll wrestle the thing on my own. So just shut up and help me look fer it."

The human's feet began to shuffle around, the first voice still grumbling as they moved. Donnie looked down as he watched small beams of light from the voice's flashlights wonder in and out of his line of sight.

Donnie felt his arms start to shake with the effort of keeping him in place. He wished the voices would go away already. If they stayed here to long than when Splinter came to save him he was going to beat these humans up. But these humans were looking for an alligator, not him. So Splinter didn't have to beat them up.

Suddenly Donnie's train of thought was cut short as his eyes became blinded by a flash of light. And he found himself staring through squinted eyes at the rough face of a huge human male.

"Hey!" the man shouted pulling his head away and reaching a giant hand in for Don.

Don shrieked, loud and ear piercing. The man got a hold on his right leg and yanked.

The man's movements were quick and strong. As if he wanted to get Don out in the open as fast as possible. No doubt because of images of sharp little teeth dancing through his mind.

Don tried to keep a grip on the walls. But the attempt was less than futile, and all the little guy got for his efforts was scraps on his hands.

The man who sounded just like the second voice, held Donnie upside down by one leg away from his body. Donnie screamed and tried kicking the man right on his wrist with his left leg like he thought Splinter would want him to.

"Shit, the thing can kick," the human cursed.

Don put everything he had into his kicks. But the man just grabbed firmly onto his other leg and squeezed leaving Donnie feeling even more trapped.

"DADDY SPLINTER DADDY HELP HELP HUMAN HELP!" Donnie screamed.

"Shut him up!" second voice yelled struggling to keep Don still while he squirmed.

Something slapped against the side of Don's head and the little turtle fell silent and stopped struggling. Colors of green and blue swirled in his vision reminding him of that pretty painting he saw with the swirling trees.

His head hurt.

His face hurt.

Ow.

Daddy.

The first voice was panting heavily. "*Haaah* *Haah*, got 'im, I got 'im."

"Yeah, ya' slapped the shit out of him, nice job," second voice agreed.

Abruptly first voice laughed out loud. The sudden noise caused Don to whimper in terror. And now without the little turtles constant movement the red robe he was wearing fell down his body, bunching up around Donnie armpits. Displaying more of Donnie's shell and green skin to the humans around him.

"Hell yeah I did a nice job! I just can't believe! I mean can you believe it man!? We we're just talking about it and it just shows up!"

The owner of the second voice raised Don up until they were looking at each other eye to eye. He had a square manly face. With bright light brown eyes and what must be night black hair. Although he was shorter than first voice this man was much bigger and bulkier than the other human, his muscles bulged out from underneath his simple black shirt and jeans. In comparison, the first voice was very tall, thin, and just plain scrawny. His teeth were rotted and crooked, his skin pale and sunken. But despite his sickly appearance the human's whole body seemed to hum with constant energy.

Donnie didn't know who to be more afraid of.

Second voice continued to study the small turtle for a minute in the darkness, having dropped the flashlight after he needed both hands to keep Donnie still. "Johnny shut up for god's sake and pick up that flashlight. Didn't ya' hear this thing scream. Didn't ya' hear what it screamed!? It screamed Daddy. It's wearin' clothes! And pink fuckin' socks."

The first voice or Johnny shrugged, "Maybe it's a girl gator."

Second voice made a strange 'arrrrrg,' sound holding a shaken Donnie out in front of him and closer to Johnny. "Look at him dipshit, this aint no gator! But it fer sure ain't no human. But you're not listenin' to me. It said Daddy!? This thing has a dad! And his dad is about to be very pissed off."

Don, still a little jostled by the slap and second voice's sharp movements, felt a brush off hope rise within him.

These humans were, scared, scared of his daddy.

With no better options in mind Donnie decided to give it a go, but quietly, he didn't want to be hit again. "My d-daddy is very big, an-and he knows how to hit, and he has claws and teethies and…." Donnie paused trying to come up with something else about Splinter that resembles a monster or something equally as scary.

Above Don's upside down form the two men exchanged a horrified look.

"Let's get out of here man!" yelled Johnny pulling the others arm gently in the direction he desperately wanted so sprint down.

The second voice nodded, "Don' have to tell me twice. This thing may not be a gator. But hopefully He'll be happy enough with this kid to not slit our throats."

The two men sprinted away, their shoes hitting hard against the concrete floor. Donnie was now being held tightly against his captor's chest. He was still upside down, and the man held him in a way that trapped his arms against his body and prevented him from bending his head enough to bit the man's arms.

So Don used his only weapons. The small turtle boy screamed kicking his feet furiously, the pink socks making his futile kicks even less effective than they already were.

Unfortunately these efforts earned him nothing but another slap.

* * *

The walk to Donatello turned out to be excruciating for Splinter.

Splinter had a pretty good idea were his little Don ended up in this complicated sewer system. But what should have been a relatively quick trip to save his lost boy was taking way longer than it should have.

The problem was his other sons. Obviously taking the three young ones back to the lair was not an option. The mutant family had traveled too far out. It would take longer than Splinter was willing to wait to take his remaining sons back to their home then out again to search for Donatello.

And leaving them alone wasn't an ideal option either. The three could hardly behave for five minutes even with his presence. Without him the dramatic four year old fights and tantrums would be horrendous. Plus these sons were wonderers. Even Leonardo, if in the right mood.

Spinter just did not trust these three to stay alone. So the poor single rat father decided to take them with him. He gave Donnie's firefighter hat to Mikey, asking the boy to wear it for his brother in tell they found him again. The little turtle agreed eagerly, feeling important that he was given the job of watching the thing.

In the end, taking his boys with him slowed his pace considerably. But Splinter knew he could not blame them, their little feet did not move nearly fast enough for Splinter's liking.

In desperation to get to Donatello faster Spinter stopped his little party and picked up Mikey with his left arm and Raph with his right. Commanding Leo to climb onto his back and hang on for a piggy back ride.

Leo happily obliged, climbing up his father's back with stubby hands and feet. Splinter clenched his teeth together as Leo unknowingly dug his elbow and knees into Splinter's back, grinding the appendages painfully against the poor rat's skin.

This random set up quickly turned out to be another mistake.

"I wanna piggy back ride," Raph said turning in his father's arm in an attempt to follow Leo up Splinter's body.

"Me to, I get one to," Mikey whined pulling himself up with the help of Splinter's sleeve.

Splinter huffed in anger, lifting himself to his feet as Leo yelped in glee, which didn't help calm his brother's jealousy one bit.

Mikey started up a chant, "My turn, my turn, my turn."

While Raph just continued to maneuver his small frame up Splinter's arm.

Splinter did not have time for this.

Donatello did not have time for this.

"Rapheal, Michlangelo!" Splinter snapped in a sharp tone.

The two immediately froze staring at Splinter.

Splinter took that second of their childish shock to quickly calm himself. The boys did not understand the severity of the situation. He had to make them understand, but gently.

"Your brother is lost right now. No fighting, no moving till I find him. Anyone who does will be in big trouble do you understand me?"

There was a pause. Rapheal and Michalangelo had stopped their attempts at climbing and were just staring at Splinter.

Splinter tightened his grip on the boys threateningly, "I said do you understand me?" he repeated.

There was a chorus of 'yeses,' even from Leo who had stopped expressing any form of happiness his piggy back ride gave him.

Splinter continued on, happy with this faster pace. The weight of the boys, and the questionable hold Leo had on his back was still preventing him from all out running. But this was much better.

Splinter calmed himself as he walked with positive thoughts.

Donatello was arguably his most behaved son, when the boy wasn't wondering around trying to take everything apart. Out of all his boys Donatello was most likely to stay put after he'd been told to do so. Even if he was distractible, little Donnie didn't like getting in trouble, and once told to do something he usually obeyed.

So his son would be fine.

His son would be fine.

Be fine.

Be fine.

Oh, please be okay.

Splinter made it to the last turn until he was in Donatello's approximate location. It was a sharp turn. A sort of exit from the narrower slightly higher level of the sewers they were all in now. To a wider lower section of tunnels.

Splinter hugged the corner tightly as he rounded it. He felt his twitching tail hit the wall on his way around. He was feeling both happier and antsier now that he thought he was getting closer to his son. He was about to call out Donatello's name.

When he heard the scream.

The shrill unchecked shriek of a small child.

The sound was far off. And would probably barely have been heard by Splinter if he was human.

But he wasn't human, so he did hear it.

Very clearly.

Splinter bent down shakily, using every ounce of self-restraint he had to safely set his boys on the floor while Leo slide off of his back without being told to. Then Splinter bent down at the waist staring at his sons with what he hoped was his most threatening look.

"You boys stay here do you understand me? I will be right back. But you three better not move from this spot."

Mikey, Raph, and Leo all nodded murmuring tentative 'oks,' the three of them staring at Splinter with similar expressions of fearful confusion.

Splinter left them like that, taking off at a sprint down the tunnel on all fours. It hurt Splinter to leave them, but it hurt him more when he heard one last pitiful scream from Donatello, before he didn't hear another. Then he smelt something. With his heightened rat sense of smell he smelled.

Humans.

* * *

Said humans were racing down the tunnels, quickly coming up to the manhole that the two entered earlier that night.

And unbeknownst to them, a rampaging monster was barreling after them. The men were wrong, Splinter was not pissed. He was way beyond pissed.

And they had every right to be afraid.


	3. Chapter 3- Surrounded By Cement

"Open it, are ya' arms made of glass or somethin' push the damn thing off," huffed Second voice looking up at Johnny. He was still tightly hugging a now passive upside-down Donatello to his chest. And he had no intention of loosening his grip.

Johnny was at the top of the ladder the two had used to enter the sewer earlier that night. He was pushing up against the heavy sewer grate with all his strength. But Johnny was a skinny man, and his lack of bulk was making the process slow and painful.

Johnny didn't even acknowledge second voice's comment. His fear drove him. He pushed against the manhole, maneuvering his body so he could try and rest the thing against his shoulder and push up with his legs.

Meanwhile little Donatello was starting to get a terrible headache. His eyeballs felt too big for his head, and his face felt hot.

He was very uncomfortable.

The mean humans were going to take him outside. He wasn't supposed to go outside. There are even more humans up there. Don felt like crying, but the tears wouldn't come. His head just felt swollen and everything he was trying to think about felt fuzzy.

But after a screech of metal, and a shout of joy from Johnny, the scared little turtle knew he had to try something.

Second voice approached the ladder, whispering in a deep threatening tone to Donnie, "Now don't you move little man, or I'll drop ya', and then you'll be very dead."

Donnie bit his lip keeping himself very still as the man holding him unwrapped one muscled arm so he could climb the ladder.

Now, Don had to try something now!

With one last desperate hope little Donnie said softly, "I'm not supposed to go outside. Daddy said no, please, I want to go home please. Daddy has claws so please."

In response to the little turtle's pleading, second voice tightened his one armed grip around Donnie. But realizing that he was squeezing nothing but a hard shell he loosened his grip and instead reached his arm around and grabbed onto the small reptile's tiny leg. He began to squeeze the leg painfully. Turning his knuckles white as he added pressure.

Headache or no headache, Donnie began to yelp and cry big fat tears that just pooled in his eyes having no clear path to run down in his wrong side up position.

"Stop talking kid," second voice said threateningly.

And Donnie decided that he wouldn't speak again.

The two exited the sewers in a rush of desperate flight appearing onto a deserted back road. Johnny was already leaning his entire body weight onto the sewer grate, taking the position of a starting track runner, so he could quickly replace the metal to its proper position, blocking the exit.

Immediately Donatello noticed the breeze. There was often a breeze in the sewer, but this felt different. Both hotter and cooler somehow. Donnie also knew that it must be very late at night up here on the surface, so the area should be very dark . But it wasn't as dark as the sewers, many random blurry lights seemed to cut through this darkness both from above and to the sides.

Donnie looked around at the source of the lights coming from the different shops. Shops with little closed off areas to put green tables. Shops that displayed glowing white human women in all kinds of hats and outfits. And lots of shops with glowing signs and symbols. One shop was so tall he couldn't even see the top.

The sky above gave a small rumble, and a light drizzle had already formed around them.

This whole place was mucky, breezy, and new.

And really scary.

In his fear Donnie began to shake anew and bent his head forward as if to hide it against second voice's arm.

Mistaking the motion as an attempt to bit him, second voice gave Don's little leg another small squeeze. This stopped all movement from Donnie.

Second voice jogged slowly, catching up with Johnny as the two made their way to the only car on the street. It looked like a giant grey van.

"Looks like we didn't need the van eh Derik? Who was right huh? We didn't need this thing. You should listen to me more," said Johnny as he flipped out his keys, expertly opening the double back doors of the van.

Donnie took one last gulp of fresh air before Second voice, or Derik, flung himself carelessly into the van tucking his legs in so he'd land on his knees.

The back of the van was bleak looking and empty. All the seats had been tucked into the van to give optimal amount of space in the back. The only thing that could be seen was a pile of thick black blankets, strapped down and pushed to one corner. That and a strange rectangular metal box in the opposite corner from the blankets.

The carpet lining the floor and sides of the vehicle was a humorless grey, and the windows were darkened in tell they looked practically black. The lack of colors did nothing to help little Don's fears.

"Look at ya'. You're pathetic Johnny-boy. Yer always wrong, so ya' just gotta' brag every time you's even a little bit right," said a smirking Derik.

With a half humored grumble Derik leaned over to the point that Donnie's head touched the soft carpeted bottom of the van and grabbed the only thing in the back of the vehicle that wasn't heavy blankets.

It was the metal rectangle, a cage.

Donnie didn't know exactly what a cage was. But after Derik opened the metal boxes' door, it wasn't hard to figure out what a 'cage,' was for.

"Are you kidding me!? You thought we were hunting for gators and you brought a lobster fishing cage!? That's what that is right? For lobsters?" questioned Johnny.

Derik huffed once again in annoyance at his partner, "I know what I'm doin' Johnny-boy. I fixed this cage up myself. It may look a tad fragile but it'll hold just fine. Now get yer ass in the driver's seat before I-"

Derik was cut off by a loud clang.

Johnny leaned back out of the van and looked back at the manhole they just exited.

With another harsh clang the sewer grate suddenly shot upwards. In this darkness it almost looked as if the thing was punched into the air by some small fist. Not that it mattered to Johnny what matters is that a sewer grate just flew.

Bad sign bad sign. Heavy sewer grates do not fly.

"Shit!" cursed Johnny as he sprinted for the driver's side door.

"What was it!?" Derik asked shoving a newly struggling Donnie into the cage, scraping the tiny turtle's scaly skin against the sides of the cage doors in his rush to push the creature inside.

"It's fuckin' daddy," said Johnny turning the car on and slamming on the gas before he even closed his door.

The van lurched forward causing Donnie's cage to slide backwards. For a moment Donnie is frightened that he is going to slide right out the back of the still open van. But instead he rams right into the van's back door.

Derik had managed to close them just in time for Donnie to not fall out. But now, with all the van doors closed, the vehicle fell into darkness.

But the darkness wasn't what scared Donnie. He was used to the dark. In fact right now Donnie wanted the darkness. It was this cage that was scaring him, the cage was too small even for little Don. He tried to stand, but his shell immediately hit the top of the cage. He couldn't even get onto his hands and knees. He could only lay there, looking around frantically for any sign of Splinter.

That's what they said right? 'The daddy,' that means his daddy.

Daddy.

Donatello knew he shouldn't, but with his head clearing ever so slightly now that he was no longer upside down, he began to cry again. The vehicle turned and screeched about him, tumbling Derik and the cage all over the place. After one particularly loud sob Derik managed to get his footing enough to kick Donnie cage, pinning it against the van's carpeted wall with his foot. "Stop crying now," he threatened glaring at the turtle.

Before Donnie could even nod his understanding, something large banged against the side of the van. Johnny gave a high pitched scream up front and turned the van sideways almost hitting two other parked cars as he frantically danced around the road.

Derik cringed as he heard what sounded like nails on a chalkboard outside. Or to be more accurate, claws on a van.

Derik removed his foot from Donnie's cage and crawled most ungracefully towards the strapped down stack of rolled black blankets. He reached behind the blankets and removed something long and gleaming.

Donnie's eyes widened in horror, it was a giant knife. Like the ones only daddy is allowed to use in the kitchen, because they can hurt you.

It was a ginormous knife!

"Imma' kill it Johnny. Where is it I'll kill it!" shouted Derik trying to keep his balance against Johnny's crazed driving. Donnie could do nothing to keep himself still and continued to slide from one side of the van to the other. He was starting to feel sick.

"He's right ou- AAAAAHHH!"

There was the sound of glass shattering up front as Johnny screamed. The van gave an impressive swerve to the left, this time purposely heading towards a lightpost. But then Johnny's screaming stopped, and the van turned back onto the road and out of danger.

Derik listened as Johnny's door opened ominously, causing the lights in the van to turn on for one blinding moment before the door was closed again and the darkness returned. And then to Derik's horror, the one arm of Johnny's that he could see from his position in the back disappeared.

Even over the squeal of the tires Derik could hear the thump of the body hitting the street outside of the van. And he had had enough.

A dark form took Johnny's place in the driver's seat and slammed on the breaks, sending Donnie's cage careening forward, slamming the poor young turtle against the driver's seat. But Derik anticipated this and kept a tight grip on the blankets leaning his upper body backwards to keep himself from being off balanced. Then before the van could fully come to a stop Derik leaped forward knife swinging towards the dark figure.

Donnie heard a feral growl and the dark figure up front abandoned the wheel and leaped towards Derik. Catching the man's armed wrist before the knife could connect.

"Aaaargh!" yelled Derik as the dark monster's momentum caused the two of them to roll helplessly around the van.

The monster hissed dragging his claws down the human's chest digging into the man's skin. Derik cursed and kicked upwards with his only limb not trapped by the dark freak. He caught the thing in the ribs, his muscled leg managing to kick the thing off of him.

Derik rolled out and away from the monster ending up on one knee right next to Donnie's cage. The human wasn't even surprised when he heard the turtle child cry out "Daddy!"

'Daddy,' was nothing but a god fuckin' monster.

Donnie looked this way and that, trying to get a better look at his father through the small crisscross opening in his cage. Splinter was still shadowed in darkness. The dark red of his robe looking like so much blood. His eyes glowed a strange yellow that Don had never seen from his father before. Splinter stood back straight and tall, looming over Derik, his teeth gleaming sharp and purely white, clawed fingers twisting and bending in barely contained rage. A few stray drops of blood dripped from those claws and onto the grey carpet.

It was the one of the greatest most beautiful things Don had ever seen.

In turn Splinter examined Donatello. The small turtle cowered in a small cage, arms held up around his head, his little feet, still in their little pink booty socks, pushing back against the end of his prison. Splinter could see his little Don's brown eyes glistening with new tears.

And then he noticed the fresh bruise on his boy's cheek.

Splinter stepped towards Derik resisting the urge to continue hissing at the man like a wild animal. "You will regret this," Splinter promised.

Derik, ignoring the bloody scratches covering his chest, rose swiftly to meet Splinter's approaching form.

Then the still rolling van finally managed to hit something. Splinter's attempt to stop the van earlier had slowed the vehicle considerably. But it didn't stop it completely. The van crashed right into a wall. The force toppled Derik to the right and Splinter charged.

The rat pressed his fingers together, keeping his hand flat and struck the man on the side of his neck, allowing the claws in his front fingers to dig into the human's flesh.

The wound looked like nothing more than a small puncture mark. The strike looked like it hit about as hard as a playful slap.

But either way Derik crumpled, eye's rolling into the back of his head mouth opening in a silent scream. The man landed on top of Donnie's cage causing a loud clang, and completely covering the small turtle's view with his bulk.

Donnie whimpered, hiding his head in his arms, refusing to look at the darkness anymore.

Splinter heaved the man off of his son's prison bending down low to undo the simple locks keeping his son inside.

Splinter expected his fingers to be shaking while he did this, or for his anger to burst and cause him to growl as he worked. But he surprised himself by staying calm and simply opening the cage.

"Donatello," Splinter said gently reaching his hand into the cage to stroke his son's head. "I'm here my son, you are safe, come on out."

Splinter waited patiently, practicing his calming meditation exercises as he waited for his bruised boy to slowly crawl out of the cage all on his own. Splinter would have simply pulled the little turtle out. But the small scratches already covering Donnie's arms from being forced into the cage told him that that would be a bad idea.

Once he was out Donnie flung himself into his Daddy's lap, sobbing hysterically. Splinter wrapped his arms around his boy, hugging him close, speaking soft Japanese words of comfort.

Sirens could be heard outside, growing louder. Splinter's ears shot up.

There was no time to comfort his son further.

Splinter rose to his feet lifting Donatello higher and closer to his chest.

"We need to go home now my son," he whispered to Donnie kissing his son's forehead. Donnie gave a whimpered, 'uh-huh,' and dug his face back into his father's robe.

With that Splinter raced to the back of the van, flung the doors open, and raced off into the night.

Donnie didn't see much as his father carried him home. He spent most of his time with his head pressed against Splinter, listening to the rat's racing heartbeat.

But Don did lift his head once more before the pair descended back into the sewers. And when he did Donnie only remembers seeing a single tree.

It wasn't an impressive tree. It was thin and short with light brown bark that was peeling off in random places. Round green leaves decorated the upper branches, lightly dancing about as a drizzle of light rain continuously struck the plant. The tree itself was placed in a little circle of soil surrounded by the cities cement.

But Donnie didn't remember the first tree he ever saw that way. Although at the time Donnie thought nothing of it, still clinging to his father and his newfound terror of humans. But after a couple years Donnie would remember the tree. And he would think that it was so much prettier than the painting on the sewer wall, and he would describe the tree to his artsy brother. And Mikey would draw a beautiful picture of a single tree surrounded by cement. All while never knowing that Donnie was describing something he actually got to see.

* * *

"And that was my first trip to the surface," I finished my story smiling at my brothers and friends. Who were gaping at me in horror.

Is it wrong that I actually find that humorous?

"Dude!" yells Mikey, "Why am I just hearing this story now!?"

I shrug indifferently.

I did mean my indifference. I really didn't have a problem keeping this story to myself. I'm not sure why Splinter had never told them. I actually don't think that he knows that they didn't know.

"It happened so long ago. I got over it pretty quickly. I just never thought of telling you guys."

"Wait a minute," Raph says "So it was your fault that Splinter was so stricked with us when we were five and six!"

I frown angrily at my brother, "I hardly think that what happened was 'my fault.'"

"Do you know how bored we were sometimes because of you," continues Raph as if I hadn't even spoken. But everyone else was either smirking or chuckling.

We all know Raph doesn't mean it.

"Wow humans suck," says Casey bringing a soda to his lips.

April didn't want him having beer.

Raph and Mikey start laughing, Raph ending with a "Ya' got that right."

"Was it necessary to add the tree into your story?" asks Leo taking a sip from his own carbonated water.

"Ofcourse it was Leo," I say catching a beverage one handed that Mikey decided to throw at me. "For you see, I didn't get to see much on my first trip to the surface. I didn't get to see any hot girls or cool food. But I did get to see a tree first, so ha."

There was a pause for a moment before Leo replies, "You're bragging because you got to see a tree first?"

"Yes," I nod.

Another pause.

"Why?" questions Raph.

I huff, much like Derik did all those years ago. "Don't give me that Raph trees are cool."

"Are they?" Raph asks smirking.

"Yes," I insist, "Now you better watch out guys or I'll start on a lecture about the glories of photosynthesis and all of tree kind."

Mikey's eyes go wide; he nudges Raph's side in warning, "Raaaaph, shut up."

Raph did shut up. They all did.

But it's their loss photosynthesis is actually really cool.

And so are trees.

And turtles.

And friends.

And family.

But not humans.

Casey's right.

Humans suck.


End file.
